Jean Mota’s 12th-minute goal stood as the winner for Inter Miami in its 1-0 win over the host San Jose Earthquakes Wednesday night.
Miami could have had more, but San Jose escaped a few near-tallies late in the match with Miami on the counter attack and running out on breakaways as the Earthquakes pressed forward for a tying goal.
Miami improved to 8-10-5 with 29 points and took over eighth place in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference. It won the first-ever meeting between the two sides.
San Jose (5-10-8, 23 points) couldn’t clear out of its goal area, and the ball came out to Mota just outside the box. His toe-punch shot got some height and velocity and zipped past Earthquakes goalkeeper JT Marcinkowksi.
Marcinkowski (one save) was replaced to start the second half, with San Jose turning to Matt Bersano in net. Bersano was tested in the 48th minute when he was forced to stop a Gonzalo Higuain shot from close range.
Higuain’s right-footed try, off a pass from first-half substitute Ariel Lassiter, came from the right side of the six-yard box and was saved. Higuain was coming off a hat trick in Miami’s most recent game, a 4-4 draw against FC Cincinnati.
Lassiter played well after coming on in the 22nd minute for the injured Leonardo Campana.
Earthquakes leading goal scorer Jeremy Ebobisse was close on a shot on goal in the 65th minute. He turned quickly with the ball and fired directly toward the middle of the net, where Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender (five saves) made the play.
Benjamin Kikanovic right-footed a ball over the goal as the clock hit 67 minutes into the match, another missed San Jose chance. The Earthquakes had five shots on target in the match and failed to convert. San Jose outshot Miami overall, 22-11.
A Miami goal in the 83rd minute was disallowed for an offside call. The Earthquakes remained in 13th place out of 14 Western Conference teams with the loss.
–Field Level Media